Newscity

Bad Grade for State Schools

A new report has rated New Mexico's public schools as some of the worst in the nation.

Last week, the website 24/7 Wall Street ranked each state's public schools based on their high school graduation rates, state spending, 8th grade NAEP proficiency, adults with at least a bachelor's degree and adult's 25 to 64 with incomes at or above the national average. According to the report, the data has changed little over the past several decades, and schools in the affluent regions of the Northeast and Midatlantic continue to rank the highest. Sterling Lloyd, assistant director of the Education Week Research Center, told 24/7 Wall Street that while high school and college graduation rates have risen, “schools continue to struggle with wide achievement and funding gaps.”

The report notes that New Mexico's high school graduation rate is the lowest of all 50 states (71 percent). The state's public school spending was reportedly 17th lowest ($10,768 per pupil). The report says our 8th grade NAEP proficiency was only 20.6 percent in math and 20.1 percent in reading. New Mexico is the 13th lowest ranked for adults with at least a bachelor's degree (27.2 percent) and 4th lowest for adult population (25 to 64) with incomes at or above the national average (43.2 percent).

Lujan Grisham Restraining Order Lifted

A restraining order placed on an intern working for gubernatorial candidate US Rep. Michelle Lujan Grisham was lifted last week by a state district judge.

The judge said a restraining order—which barred Riley Del Rey, former intern for Lujan Grisham, from coming within 100 yards of the congresswoman—was unnecessary because of Del Rey's involvement in another case. According to reports, she is already facing criminal charges connected to a protest held at the state Democratic pre-primary convention earlier this month, and the judge in that case has ordered her to have no contact with any witnesses, including Lujan Grisham.

The judge also said that Del Rey's right to political speech was protected by state law, presumably in response to Lujan Grisham's allegations that Del Rey had disrupted events with “threatening” behavior. According to the Albuquerque Journal, Del Rey has said that she was merely exercising her right to assemble and protest with no plans of physical violence.

Del Rey claims that during her time as an intern for Lujan Grisham, the congresswoman discriminated against her because she's a transgender woman. Lujan Grisham has denied the allegations.

Unemployment Rate Second Worst in Nation

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, New Mexico’s unemployment rate was 5.8 percent in February. The only state faring worse was Alaska, whose unemployment rate was 7.3 percent. The national rate was 4.1 percent.

The Albuquerque Journal reports the total non-agricultural payroll employment in New Mexico grew by 1.3 percent—11,000 jobs—since February last year.